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March Newsletter

Partner Post Highlighting Collaboration and Shared Goals

March Newsletter

Spotlight Café - Wed. March 11 at 12:00

You are invited to our March 11th Spotlight Café where Community Partner Kelly Jo Harrison, Mike Ball from Go Go Grandparent, and Amy Ferreira from Perkins School will be briefly discussing what services they offer SSB customers.

In April, Monica Bulbotz, Emily Hable from My Path, and the Minnesota Center for the Blind formerly known as BLIND Inc will be presenting.

If you are a Community Partner who has not yet presented or signed up to present at one of our cafés for this year, we encourage you to do so. Please complete this form.

Please register in advance to attend.

Listening Session- May 13 at 8:00 am

On May 13th at 8:00 a.m., SSB staff will be hosting a Listening Session for Community Partner Feedback.

We are committed to improving the process for our customers, Community Partners and staff. We want to hear from you, so please plan on attending. This meeting is intended for our Community Partners and only a few SSB staff will be in attendance to listen to concerns, comments, and suggestions from our partners.

Registration in advance is required. We strongly encourage you to attend.

Section 2.9 - Recommendations

During training with customers, discussions may include services or equipment that could support a customer’s goals. Please remember that SSB is not obligated to provide items solely based on a recommendation made during training.

Community Partners should avoid implying that any purchase is guaranteed or approved. Customers with questions about potential services or equipment purchases should be referred directly to their SSB counselor for determination.

Waiting on Referrals?

Please reach out if you are currently open to receiving referrals. While we cannot guarantee work to our Community Partners, knowing your availability helps us make informed referral decisions.

We strongly encourage you to complete your elevator pitch, sign up for a Spotlight Café, and notify us when you have space for customers. Taking these steps increases visibility and helps generate referral opportunities for our partners.

For more information about completing an elevator pitch reach out to Lisa.Rogers@state.mn.us. To present at an upcoming Spotlight, complete this form.

Minnesota Center for the Blind (formerly BLIND Inc.)

Greetings,

I’m writing to share what services we can provide, and how to get in touch if you have any questions. Our current headquarters is a space we share with Grace Trinity Community Church, located at 1430 W. 28^th Street in Uptown Minneapolis.

We recently wrapped a ten-week group training program for blind seniors, covering basic skills in the areas of cane travel, home management and daily living, braille, and technology. Seniors benefited from a number of blind senior mentors, providing positive role models, support, and encouragement.

We currently offer the following services at our headquarters and within the Twin Cities metro area.

Basic home management training, including cooking, adapting one’s home and appliances, labeling items, basic indoor mobility, and more.
Braille instruction for adults of all ages.
Basic technology training on smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices.
To inquire about these, and other possible services, please email us at info@blindinc.org or give us a call at 612-872-0100

Thank you, Steve Decker - Board Chair, Minnesota Center for the Blind

Next Community Partner Forum 4/27

Reminder that the next Community Partner Forum is scheduled for Monday, April 27th at 8:00 am central time. Please register in advance for the Forums.

State Services for the Blind provides tools and training for employment, living independently, and accessing print. We assist Minnesotans who are blind, DeafBlind, experiencing vision loss, or have difficulty accessing the printed word.

Questions? Contact Us

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SSB is an equal opportunity employer and program provider.

The Minnesota State Services for the Blind Vocational Rehabilitation program receives 78.69 percent of its funding through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. For federal fiscal year 2024, the total amount of grant funds awarded were $10,410,449. The remaining 21.3 percent of the costs ($2,817,568) were funded by Minnesota state appropriations.